Welcome to HVAC-Talk.com, a non-DIY site and the ultimate Source for HVAC Information & Knowledge Sharing for the industry professional! Here you can join over 150,000 HVAC Professionals & enthusiasts from around the world discussing all things related to HVAC/R. You are currently viewing as a NON-REGISTERED guest which gives you limited access to view discussions

To gain full access to our forums you must register; for a free account. As a registered Guest you will be able to:

Participate in over 40 different forums and search/browse from nearly 3 million posts.

The hardest thing to do....

is to teach or train an "experienced technician".

Why?

Because to accept said training or teaching, they must first accept or admit that they don't know something....which is too hard on their ego....because they're afraid that they might lose face with their peers.

I think you are using the "experience technician" label as a catch term but it's not really that way at all. The experienced technicial is one experienced in learning from the day he/she gets in this trade until he/she ends up in the loose parts box, so to speak.

"The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers it can bribe the public with the public's own money.
- Alexis﻿ de Toqueville, 1835

I think you have it backwards. Experienced techs are just that. Some instructors struggle with being questioned and at times cornered on something they have not seen or considered. Experienced techs want to learn, they have to, but they want answers to questions or potential problems they foresee. I'm going to a manitowok refresher tomorrow and can't wait. I'll have questions and will expect answers.

I think you have it backwards. Experienced techs are just that. Some instructors struggle with being questioned and at times cornered on something they have not seen or considered. Experienced techs want to learn, they have to, but they want answers to questions or potential problems they foresee. I'm going to a manitowok refresher tomorrow and can't wait. I'll have questions and will expect answers.

But, is every "experienced technician" technically competent? Or, have large numbers of them made a career of "getting by", changing parts and guessing based on prior experience?

There is a huge difference. Yes, the true technician who craves knowledge exists...but it's been my observation (as well as the observation of many of my peers) that the vast majority of today's technicians are "experience based", instead of "technically competent".....and those experience-based guys are generally so insecure, that they're almost impossible to teach.

I don't know John, it's kinda the same old thing. You can't force anyone to learn that doesn't want to. The whole lead a horse to water but can't make them drink. I know a lot of these types actually. They go to classes and text, mess around, sleep or whatever then get mad when a few of us get sent to all the speciality trainings.

My boss said it pretty well the other day. You have people who live and learn, then you have others that are just living.

But, is every "experienced technician" technically competent? Or, have large numbers of them made a career of "getting by", changing parts and guessing based on prior experience?

There is a huge difference. Yes, the true technician who craves knowledge exists...but it's been my observation (as well as the observation of many of my peers) that the vast majority of today's technicians are "experience based", instead of "technically competent".....and those experience-based guys are generally so insecure, that they're almost impossible to teach.

I know exactly what you mean by that. We have some people who couldn't use a meter to read voltage across a relay or switch.

There is a big difference in the expectations of my, your generation and what has been taking place in this country and its school system for a good number of years now.

We were taught analytical thinking or whatever anyone choses to call it. And that was and is a dicipline that is not longer taught. Now we are to rely on information that comes from external sources such as the web, factory 800 numbers, computer type systems or anything that can and will do thinking for us.

We are dinosaurs, you might as well face it. I did many years ago and have given up on hiring assistance. I only use older guys now who may or may not be mechanically inclined. But I can tell them and give them exact instructions and they always complete what I direct them to do. And they are thankful for the work AND find it very interesting. No, I don't let them near anything that could do them in until I'm sure they are safe.

"The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers it can bribe the public with the public's own money.
- Alexis﻿ de Toqueville, 1835

Because to accept said training or teaching, they must first accept or admit that they don't know something....which is too hard on their ego....because they're afraid that they might lose face with their peers.

Alot of the smart, motivated people in life stayed far away from the HVAC field. They did things like med school, law school, engineering etc. Then whatever sharp ones were left, many of them started their own gig. So that leaves just a few desirable guys out there. If you want one, you usually got to pay the man to get and keep him.